The same sort of weather prevailed
in almost every part of the country throughout July and August.
On the evening of the 3rd of the latter month, Mr. Cooper, of Markree
Castle, observed a most singular cloud, which extended itself over the
east of the range called the Ox Mountains, in the County Sligo,
accurately imitating, in shape, a higher range of mountains somewhat
more distant; afterwards an extremely white vapour, resembling a
snow-storm, appeared along the southern declivity of the range. Mr.
Cooper remarked to a friend at the time, that he thought this vapour
might be charged with the fluid causing the disease in the potato. The
friend to whom this observation was made, being a resident near those
mountains, Mr. Cooper requested him to make enquiries on the subject. He
afterwards informed him that on the same evening, or night, the blight
fell upon the whole of that side of the mountain, where they had
witnessed the strange appearance. It was noticed in various districts,
that some days before the disease appeared on the potatoes, a dense
cloud, resembling a thick fog, overspread the entire country, but
differing from a common fog in being dry instead of moist, and in
having, in almost every instance, a disagreeable odour.
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